Show Sta State to Medical Opposes Forand Bill Utah's State Medical Association Association Association tion has gone on record in Washington as opposing t the h e Forand Bill currently being considered by the House Ways and Means Committee under which hospital and surgical care for the aged would be financed through a billion dollar social security payroll tax deduction program I T Testifying in the nations nation's capital capital capital cap cap- ital Dr Vernon L. L Stevenson Salt Lake City physician w who h o heads the Utah State Medical committee commit commit- Associations Association's legislative tee expressed belief the Forand I proposal can only lead to second second second sec sec- ond class medical care and md grief for millions of older citizens Terming the view of U Utah Uta t a h medical men political non and partisan bi-partisan Dr S Stevenson evenson warned warned warned war war- ned the tremendous and un- un drain on the Social Security Trust Fund would pose an ever inci increasing ever easing tax burden burden burden bur bur- den which would prove staggering staggering staggering stagger stagger- ing to the nation as the aging population increases Abolish Voluntary Progress In addition he noted the measure measure mea mea- sure suie would abolish voluntary progress in medical fields substituting substituting substituting sub sub- government dictated dictated compulsory methods which have proven failures in such nations as England Dr Stevenson added that Ut Utah's Utah's Utah's Ut- Ut ah's medical men as the result of surveys and recent conferences conferences conferences confer confer- increasingly feel private insurance programs such as Blue Cross-Blue Cross Shield combined combined combined com com- with a minimum of state county and federal aid in the form of loans for none govern none govern ment hospitals and nursing homes can and will solve our medical needs for the aged Many Now Insured He pointed out that 43 percent of citizens over 65 years of age are now covered by health in insurance insurance insurance in- in as against 20 percent five years ago He estimated that in 10 years over 90 percent of aged citizens will win be covered by such private insurance Dr Stevenson expressed belief Utah physicians will shortly join doctors doctors doctors doc doc- tors in West Vest Virginia New Jersey Jersey Jersey Jer Jer- sey Texas fexas and California who accept a great grent reduction of their normal fees from patients over over 65 and support rt such medical medical medical medi medi- cal surgical plans for our aging citizens |